Dental Implants in Spain


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If you have missing teeth, you may wish to consider having dental implants. You may also consider travelling to Spain to have these done, as there can be a number of advantages in this. Dental implants are metal bolts (made out of various grades of titanium) which replace the root of the tooth by screwing directly into the jawbone. By a process known as osseointegration, the bolts then fuse with the bone. False teeth can then be affixed to these artificial roots which serve as strong foundations.

Procedure of dental implants in Spain

Before surgery can begin, the internal structures surrounding the mouth must be mapped out using computer systems. This allows the dentist to plan out the best course of action and the orientation necessary to insert the implant. An additional CT (computer tomography) scan may be taken, combining a series of 2D X-ray images into a 3D model of the area.


In some cases the dentist may have to perform additional treatments on your mouth. If there is not enough bone to ensure the treatment will be successful, or if the bone is not strong enough to hold the dental implant, then bone grafting may have to occur. This is a procedure wherein additional material, either synthetic or from the patient’s own body (from a non-essential area of bone, such as certain parts of the chin and pelvis), is surgically grafted onto the jawbone. As the osseointegration process requires adaptation of the bone, however, most bone grafting as part of a dental implant treatment will come from an area of your own bone, although there are now some effective synthetic substitutes which can also osseointegrate.

Additionally there may not be enough gum tissue around the area where the dental implant is to be inserted. If this is the case then the dentist will also have to undertake gum grafting (also known as gingiva grafting) to increase the amount of gum tissue. This is essential as the gum helps surround and protect the base of the tooth. There are a number of methods of performing this treatment, and a number of potential sites in your mouth can provide tissue to augment the dental implant. Once these complementary procedures have been done and the rest of the treatment has been fully planned, the treatment proper can begin.

A dental implant treatment in Spain will almost invariably be done under local anaesthesia; you will remain awake but your mouth will be numb. First a pilot hole is drilled into the jawbone at the site identified as the best possible location for the implant. Next a progressive series of wider drills is steadily used to expand the hole. During this a saline spray is used to maintain a cool temperature which prevents any potential complications which could arise with overheating of the bone. The implant is then precisely screwed into the hole. Afterwards, you will be released while the screw fuses with the bone.

Completing your dental implant treatment in Spain

There is considerable debate amongst dentists as to how long the osseointegration process can take. However, if you opt to receive dental implant treatment in Spain then you will typically come to an agreement with the dentist that it is best to play things on the safe side. This usually means leaving at least six months before returning to complete the procedure; typically patients do return within a 6-12 month time window.

After you have returned to your Spanish dentist, you will undergo the final step of the treatment: the fitting of the false tooth or teeth. First the implant is uncovered from any gum tissue that has grown over the top. Next, supports are attached to the top of the implant and finally the denture is affixed to these supports. Finally you will have a full set of teeth again! Nonetheless complications could arise shortly after the procedure so it may prove wise to remain in the area for as long as the dentist advises. This is where the proximity of Spain can be useful.

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